“I did make a sketch of a Mary Cassatt painting:“Girl With a Fan.” …Emma…sat next to me… We had so many deep talks as she sat beside me and I sketched…” — my diary, Feb. 4, 2024
me sketching Mary Cassatt’s “Girl With a Fan”
Photo Credit: Emma Miniscalco
This blog post is part of a series, although the parts are arranged more by emotional theme, rather than strictly chronological order. You may want to start with Art Adventure (part 1) and (part 2), but it’s not necessary.
Excerpts from my diary:
February 4, 2024
Now I’m back home in “my” little apartment…absolutely buzzing inside from all the wonderful art I saw today [in the National Gallery in D.C.]. It was just so much art! I think I was there four or five hours! Maybe longer? I mostly just looked, but I did make a sketch of a Mary Cassatt painting, “Girl With a Fan.” Mostly because it was in an uncrowded room with a convenient sofa. Emma [my friend of 20+ years] sat next to me… We had so many deep talks as she sat beside me and I sketched.
“Can’t quite catch her pout” my sketch of a Mary Cassatt painting
detail of Mary Cassatt painting “Girl With a Fan”
me sketching “Girl With a Fan” gouache on a postcard
My diary continued…
I can’t even go into words, the amount of art I saw: Da Vinci, Rembrandt, Vermeer, the impressionists…Corot…my head is spinning. Two very large a powerful paintings by Kerry James Marshall. I’ll go back tomorrow and sketch some more…Then tomorrow afternoon, I take the train to Richmond.
—my diary, Feb. 4, 2024
detail of a painting by Kerry James Marshall
I ended up spending two full days in the National Gallery in D.C. and I made many sketches. There was a painting by Monet that was so interesting and dark, it didn’t look much like his main body of work. I wouldn’t have guessed that it was his, so maybe it was something from earlier in his life? It was a painting of three people in a dark room, lit only by lamplight. Here is my sketch of it:
pencil drawing of a Monet painting (one of my many postcards)
I was also really drawn to this painting of three children and a dog.
painting by Joshua Johnson, 1807
Later, when I was making painted postcards about my trip, I painted my favorite detail of Johnson’s painting: the corner with a window view of a dreamy landscape.
“Joshua Johnson’s window” my own painting inspired by his, gouache on a postcard
I wrote on the back of the postcard two weeks later:
Feb. 23, 2024
Dearest Rachel, I can’t believe two weeks has gone by since I returned from my trip! I had such an AMAZING time! I feel like a sponge utterly FULL of water—can’t wait to get into the studio this morning—I have SO many juicy ideas! (Maybe we can have a phone date soon?) This painting is my “copy” of a righthand corner of a painting by Joshua Johnson, earliest known Black professional artist! This painting (a portrait of 3 children) was a commission in 1807.
I’m still thinking about this painting, even now. I wish I knew more about the artist, Joshua Johnson. What was his life like? Did he take every commission that came his way, or did he refuse some? Did these three kids pose like little angels, or were they moving around and being sassy while he was trying to paint them? What subjects did Joshua Johnson really love to paint, best of all? What was it like to be a Black artist at that time? How did he learn to paint? Did he have any other artist friends?
“George Moore in the Artist’s Garden” by Manet
Moving on, here’s another painting that really struck me. It’s a painting by Manet, 1879, called “George Moore in the Artist’s Garden.” I really love it. Such decisive, confident, efficient strokes. Dang! He left some canvas bare.
Why not? Nothing more is needed.
My sketch of “George Moore in the Artist’s Garden” pencil sketch on a postcard, 6 x 4 inches
Another painting that moved me: “The Seine” by Henry O. Tanner.
“The Seine” Painting by Henry O. Tanner
A few days later, I learned a little more about Tanner’s life. He was an absolutely incredible painter! He was born in Pittsburgh in 1891. However, as an African American artist, his career was hampered by racial prejudice. “I cannot fight prejudice and paint,” he announced before departing for Europe, where he enjoyed success in the Paris Salon.
His life seems so interesting. I’d like to learn more about him, and I’m hoping to get my hands on his autobiography, but so far I haven’t been able to find it. In the meantime, if you’re interested, here’s a link to some biographical information on the National Gallery of Art website.
“The Seine” Up-close Painting Detail by Henry O. Tanner
So, in conclusion, I had three wonderful days in D.C., in which I immersed myself in the glorious wealth of art in the National Gallery. Then on Monday afternoon, I took the train to Richmond, Virginia. So I’ll stop here, and continue the story of my art adventures in my next blog post. Thanks for following along!
Below: some more paintings, and details of paintings, that especially moved or interested me:
